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The Importance of Fire Safety Signage

Walk around most commercial premises and you'll see fire safety signs so often that they become invisible. Exit signs above doors. A fire action notice by the alarm call point. An extinguisher with a red sign mounted above it. After a while, people stop noticing them — which is exactly when they become critical.

Fire safety signage isn't decoration. It's a legal requirement, and when something goes wrong, it can be the difference between an orderly evacuation and a chaotic one.

What the Law Says

Two main pieces of legislation govern fire safety signage in the UK:

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO) is the cornerstone of fire safety law in England and Wales. Under Article 14, the responsible person — typically the employer, building owner or occupier — is legally required to ensure that escape routes and exits are clearly marked and that fire safety signage is provided, visible and maintained. Non-compliance can result in enforcement notices, unlimited fines, or in serious cases, prosecution and imprisonment.

The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 sets out the specific design, colour and format requirements that fire safety signs must meet — including when illuminated or photoluminescent signs are required.

For high-rise residential buildings, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 — introduced following the Grenfell Tower Inquiry — introduced additional requirements, including wayfinding signage to assist fire and rescue services navigating the building.

The Four Main Categories of Fire Safety Signs

1. Fire Action Notices

These tell people what to do if they discover a fire or hear the alarm. They should display the fire brigade number, which exits to use, where the assembly point is, and any other relevant instructions. They must be displayed at fire alarm call points and at final exit doors.

2. Fire Exit and Escape Route Signs

The familiar green running man. These signs direct people to the nearest exit and must mark escape routes clearly, with directional arrows where needed. Premises with straightforward single-exit layouts may have limited requirements, but any building with a complex layout, multiple floors or large occupancy must ensure every exit route is signed throughout.

Fire exit signs must be legible in all conditions. Where a building requires emergency lighting, exit signs will typically also need illumination — either internally lit, externally lit, or photoluminescent.

3. Fire Door Signs

Every fire door must be signed. The standard sign reads "Fire Door — Keep Shut." Doors that are designed to be held open by a magnetic release must carry "Fire Door — Keep Clear" signage. This matters because a fire door propped open or left unlocked defeats its purpose entirely.

4. Fire Equipment Signs

Red signs identify fire extinguishers, hose reels and other firefighting equipment. Every premises with a fire extinguisher must have a corresponding ID sign. Fire alarm call points must also be clearly signed.

Assembly point signs — green, showing a group of people — must be positioned well away from the building and visible to people evacuating.

Why Signage Gets Overlooked — and Why That's a Problem

In busy workplaces, signs get covered by furniture, obscured by stored stock, damaged or simply never replaced when they fade or peel. It's one of the most common issues identified during fire risk assessments.

The problem is that signage failures are invisible during normal operations. Nobody notices the exit sign that's been blocked by a shelving unit until there's smoke in the corridor. At that point, it's too late to fix.

There are a few recurring issues worth being aware of:

Obstructed signs. A sign hidden behind a door, above a high shelf or covered by a notice board is non-compliant and potentially dangerous. Signs must have a clear line of sight from any point along the escape route.

Faded or damaged signs. Signs deteriorate over time, particularly in environments with direct sunlight, humidity or chemical exposure. Photoluminescent signs lose their effectiveness if they haven't been charged by adequate light levels.

Incorrect signs. Using the old British Standard "green running man" design rather than the current ISO 7010 standard, or using signs that don't reflect the actual layout of the building, are both issues that can arise over time — particularly after refurbishments or layout changes.

Missing signs. Any new escape route, fire door or piece of equipment needs appropriate signage. Changes to building layout or use that aren't reflected in the signage create gaps in the fire safety provision.

Signage and the Fire Risk Assessment

Under the RRO, every non-domestic premises must have a current fire risk assessment. Signage is a core element of that assessment. A competent assessor will check that:

• All escape routes are signed throughout their length
• Exit signs are illuminated or photoluminescent where required
• Fire doors are correctly signed
• Equipment is clearly identified
• Assembly points are marked and accessible
• Action notices are in place and up to date

If deficiencies are found, they'll be recorded as action points. Depending on severity, they may be classified as requiring immediate remedial action or as recommendations for improvement. Either way, they need to be addressed.

A Simple Point

Fire safety signage is one of the lowest-cost, highest-impact elements of fire safety provision. A set of compliant signs for a small commercial premises costs relatively little. The consequences of getting it wrong — in terms of legal liability, enforcement action, or harm to the people on your premises — are far greater.

If you haven't reviewed your signage recently, or if you're not certain your current provision meets the requirements for your premises, it's worth getting it checked as part of a professional fire risk assessment.

Whale Fire carries out fire risk assessments across a wide range of commercial, industrial and residential premises. If you'd like to discuss your fire safety requirements, get in touch Contact Us - Whale Fire